last updated January 30, 2024

When I asked readers about possible titles for my next book of sermons, This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life was the favourite. And now here is the cover!

I love it! The cover image features a scene of our ordinary, extraordinary world. It’s framed by curving lines that suggest movement. The simple, clear font reads well. The book’s background is green, suggesting growth and life. Green is also the liturgical colour for the season of ordinary time, which is the setting for these sermons.

If you use the Revised Common Lectionary, you’ll know what I mean by the season of ordinary time, and you’ll also understand the subtitle. If not, you can cheerfully ignore both since you don’t need those details to read and enjoy the sermons. Each sermon stands on its own, and there will be a free study guide for personal and small group use available soon.

This is what the publisher says about the book on the back cover:

Experience an extraordinary faith journey in This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life by April Yamasaki.

In this invaluable resource, Yamasaki challenges conventional thinking and invites you to embrace the abundant life that Jesus offers. Through insightful messages, she encourages you to find nourishment in Jesus, re-evaluate your motives, and experience the profound work of Christ. Prepare to be enthralled by the untamed love of Jesus, unlocking the extraordinary potential hidden within the ordinary.

No matter if you’re a pastor hungry for appealing material to supplement your own messages, or an individual on a quest for personal growth and renewal, this book is an irreplaceable addition to your library.

Sermon titles include:

• Through Storm and Calm With Jesus

• God of the Possible and Impossible

• Family, Work, and Rest

The cover, subtitle, and the back cover copy were all put together by my publisher, CSS Publishing—I would have been too embarrassed to write any of that back cover copy! But as you can tell they’re very pleased with the book, and I’m grateful for their support.

If you’re still curious about the subtitle, below is how to decode it. So for those who love details, please read on. If you’d rather not go into all of this, just enjoy my new book cover, and go on with the rest of your day. I pray it will be both ordinary and extraordinary for you.

Decoding the Subtitle:

Cycle B – The Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle of scripture readings built around the life of Christ. Year A focuses on the gospel of Matthew, Year B on Mark, Year C on Luke, with readings from John appearing throughout the three years. So for my book, Cycle B on the gospel lessons means that the sermons focus on Mark along with some readings from John. For more details, see What is the Revised Common Lectionary and this graphic that shows the church year and the different colours.

Lessons – A lesson is a passage from the Bible read aloud during a church service, so Cycle B gospel lessons means readings from the gospel of Mark.

Pentecost – A day to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, observed on the seventh Sunday after Easter. The next Pentecost Sunday is May 19, 2024.

Proper 16 – In the Revised Common Lectionary, the Sundays after Pentecost are numbered. The next Proper 16 is August 25, 2024.

So instead of saying “Cycle B Sermons Based on the Gospel Lessons for Pentecost Through Proper 16” we could say sermons on readings from the gospel of Mark for May 19-August 25, 2024.

That might sound simpler—and it’s accurate for the coming year—but the Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle. That means Cycle B Pentecost through Proper 16 will come up again in 2027. But since the date of Easter changes each year, the day of Pentecost changes each year. So when Cycle B Pentecost comes around again in 2027, the dates will be different. By then, May 19 won’t even be a Sunday. So for those using the Revised Common Lectionary on a regular basis, instead of giving specific dates, it makes more sense simply to say “Pentecost through Proper 16.”

Still confused? To the rest of us, this might sound overly complicated, and if my attempt at decoding the title doesn’t help demystify it for you, feel free to ignore it. Ignore the subtitle, ignore the Cycle B in the circle (although I do like it as one of the design elements on the cover). The sermons stand well on their own, and you won’t need a special decoder to understand them.

This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life is now available from CSS Publishing, Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and your favourite on-line or local bookstore. Get your free study guide here: This Ordinary, Extraordinary Life Study Guide.

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